Tray with separating partitions



June 18, 1957 c. M. sHANAHAN 2,796,213

TRAY WITH SEPARATING PARTITIONS v Filed .June 7', 1955 United SttesPatent O 2,796,213 TRAY WITH SEPARATING PARTITIONS Curtis M. Shanahan,Whittier, Calif., assignor to Container Corporation of America,Chicago,`lll., a corporation of Delaware f Application June 7, 1955,Serial No. 513,725

` v8 Claims. (Cl. 229-42) The present invention relates to flexiblesheet material trays having separating members associated therewith.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a simple, sturdy,inexpensive and easily set up tray with partition members which areadapted to be interengaged, whereby they will be retained in raisedposition to separate effectively a plurality of articles supported bythe tray; to form the tray and partitions from a single blank offoldable sheet material and arrange the parts so-they may be quicklymoved toward partition forming and tray forming position and permanentlyretained in such positions; and to provide a tray construction includinginterlocking partitions which lends itself to machine setting upoperations or which may be set up with facility by hand.

Tray and partition elements, heretofore known, which provide integralpartition parts cut from the blank which forms the flat supporting trayparts, have relatively small supporting areas serving as the at part orbottom of the tray, due to the cutting of the partition parts from thetray bottom, and itis a further object of the present invention toincrease the bottom supporting surfaces as well as to increase thestrength and rigidity of the construction without greatly increasing thecost of material employed.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

In the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tray with the partitions in set upand interlocked condition;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of an end portion ofthe tray showingit in set up condition; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the tray and partitionmember is constructed.

The tray and partition construction in its preferred form is assembledfrom a single blank of folding paperboard which has been creased and cutto provide bottom forming portions and partition forming portionsarranged -to be raised up out of the contour of the bottom, and

including additional parts provided from lateral portions extending fromthe bottom forming portions, which lateral portions provide supplementalbottom portions when folded over upon other portions of the bottom, andin addition provide partition portions which can be interengaged withthe first mentioned partitions.

p Referring to the drawings, the improved partition and tray structureis illustrated as constructed from a blank of foldable paperboardsuitably formed with cuts, slits and crease lines to provide a bottompanel 11 with extended bottom portions. 12, 12, hinged at each side ofthe bottom panel, and `additional portions 13, 13 hinged at'the outeredges of the supplemental` portions 12, 12. The bottom panel is suitablycut to provide a plurality of primary partition elements 15, 15.

First referring to the structure of partition element 15, a nulnber ofthese elements are shown but the invention also contemplates aconstruction which may include only ICS a single partition elementlS.This element is preferably formed as arelatively narrow, elongatedportion provided by a suitably shaped slit or cut, indicated generallyat 17, the ends of which terminate at a hinge line 18 which may be acrease or score line but in the present instance is shown as a series ofshort, .spaced slits extending through the paperboard so as to provide ahinge line which will fold easily.

The extended portions 12, 12, constituting supplemental bottom portions,are defined from the bottom panel 11 by hinge lines 19, 19, alsopreferably formed by a series of short, spaced slits. The additionalportions 13, 13, carried by the extended portions` 12 constitutepartition elements which will be referred to as secondary partitionelements for convenience or reference.

For the purpose of effecting interengagement between the primary andsecondary partitions the extended portion 12 and secondary portion 13carried thereby are formed with a slot 20 preferably extending from apoint somewhat spaced from hinge line 19, across hinge line 14 andterminating interiorly of the secondary partition 13. In the presentinstance the outer end of slot 20 is tapered and terminates in a shortslit 21 into which the thickness of the material of the primarypartition is adapted to be received.

Each of the primary partitions 15 is preferably formed with a pair ofspaced V-shaped notches 23, 23, and such notches preferably terminate innarrow slits 24. The space of the slits 24 from the hinge line adjacentthereto is Substantially equal to the distance between hinge lines 14and 19 which will thus bring the bottom edge of the secondary partition13 into substantial alignment with the one set of slits 24, 24, when theextended portion 12 is folded to lie flat against the bottom panels 11,11. The slits 24 at the lower ends of the V-shaped notches 23 are thusadapted to receive the thickness of the secondary partition 13. Thiswill tend to hold the secondary partition 13 frictionally interengagedwith the various partitions 15, 15, and will retain the extended portion12 in flat position against the bottom panels 11, 11. Since, in thepresent instance, the outer part of slot 20 is tapered into a V-shape,the interengagement of the primary and secondary partitions will befacilitated since the V-shaped portion of slot 20 is received into theV-shaped portion 23 of the primary partition. In addition, by providingthe slit 21 at the end of slot 20 and the slit 24 at the bottom end ofthe notch 23 the slit 21 will receive the thickness of the primarypartition 15 and the slit 24 will receive the thickness of the secondarypartition 13.

The length of the hinge line for the primary partitions 15 is preferablysomewhat less than the width of the bottom panels 11. However, theover-all length of the partitions 15 is prefer-ably slightly less thanthe width of the bottom panels 11. The ends of the primary partitions 15are preferably cut along inwardly curved lines as indicated at 25, 25.The distance from the inner end of slot 20 to the hinge line 19 is madesomewhat less than the distance between the lower outer edges and hingeline 18 of the primary partitions 15, whereby the edge of the materialat the lower end of the slot 20 will move in an arc smaller than the arcdescribed by the curved partition edges 2S, 25. By this arrangement theprimary partitions have an effective length approximately equal to thedimension of the bottom panels 11, 11, as measured between the hingelines 19, 19. By this construction of reducing the length of the primarypartitions greater strength of material is provided along the hingelines 19, 19.

It is to be observed that the openings formed by cutting partitions 15,15 fromvthe blank are partially covered when the extended portions 12,12 are folded down to lie liat against the bottom panels 11, 11. Thus,in the completed form of a tray and partition structure a major numberof the cells formed by the partitions will have substantiallyimperforate bottom portions. Due to the fact that the panels 12 overlaprelatively large portions 'of the panels 11, 11, the composite bottompanel of the tray thus formed will have considerable strength, and it isthus possible to provide a very satisfactory tray by lighter stock thanwould otherwise be required.

The tray and partition construction may be setup either by hand or bythe use of suitable machinery. In any event, the iirst step is to movethe partitions 15 to substantially upright position, and while so held,the ex tended portions 12, 12 are swung inwardly, at the saine timeswinging the secondary partitions 13, 13 in an opposite direction sothat they will be approximately upright or normal to the bottom panels11, 11 by the time extended portions 12 are brought down flatwiseagainst the bottom panels. It is only necessary to apply a small degreeof pressure upon the upper edges of the secondary portions 13 to bringthem into frictional engagement with the primary panels. The tray andpartition construction is then ready for use to receive light, fragilegoods such as candy or cookies or any other product requiring similarprotection, and after the articles have been received within the cellsprovided, the entire assembly is usually inserted into a closedtransparent bag of plastic material, or if desired, may be enclosed in asuitable wrapper. The particular matter of enclosing the illed trayforms no part of the present invention.

While the present description sets forth a preferred embodiment of theinvention, numerous changes may be made in the construction withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desiredthat the present embodiment be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appendedclaims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope ofthe invention.

I claim:

l. A paperboard tray and partition construction comprising a bottompanel having a cut therein defining a primary partition element formedwithin the contour of the bottom panel, such partition element beingfoldable out of the plane of the bottom to assume a position normalthereto, an extended portion hinged along an edge of the bottom whichextends substantially at right angles to the plane of the partitionelement, a secondary partition element carried by the outer edge of theextended portion and hinged thereto along a line substantially parallelto the hinge between the extended portion and the bottom, the extendedportion and secondary partition element being formed with a slot alignedwith the hinge between the primary partition element and bottom panel,whereby, when the extended portion is folded over to lie dat upon thebottom panel and the secondary partition element carried thereby isfolded to assume approximately a right angular relation to the bottomand extended portion, parts of the secondary partition element on eachside of the slot formed therein will lie on opposite sides of theprimary partition when in raised position, to retain the primarypartition in upright position.

2. A paperboard tray and partition construction, as defined in claim l,in which the primary partition is formed with a slit to receive thesecondary partition when the latter is brought into intersectingrelation to the primary partition.

3. A paperboard tray and partition construction as defined in claim l,in which the secondary partition is formed with a slit to receive theprimary when the secondary partition is brought into intersectingrelation to the primary partition.

4. A paperboard tray and partition construction as defined in claim l,in which the primary partition is formed with a V-shaped notch toreceive the secondary partition when the latter is brought intointersecting relation to the primary partition.

5. A paperboard tray and partition construction as defined in claim l,in which the primary partition is formed with a V-shaped notchterminating in a slit to receive the secondary partition when the latteris brought into intersecting relation to the primary partition.

6. A paperboard tray and partition construction comprising a bottompanel having a cut therein dening a primary partition element formedwithin the contour of the bottom panel, such partition element beingfoldable out of the plane of the bottom to assume a position normalthereto, an extended portion hinged along the entire length of an edgeof the bottom panel which extends substantially at right angles to theplane of the partition element, a secondary partition element carriedby, and extending the entire length of, the outer edge of the extendedportion and hinged thereto along a line substantially parallel to thehinge between the extended portion and the bottom, the extended portionand secondary partition element being formed with a slot aligned withthe hinge between the primary partition element and bottom panel,whereby, when the extended portion is folded over to lie flat upon thebottom panel and the secondary partition element carried thereby isfolded to assume approximately a right angular relation to the bottomand extended portion, parts of the secondary partition element on eachside of the slot `formed therein will lie on opposite sides of theprimary partition when in raised position, to retain the primarypartition in upright position.

7. A paperboard tray and partition construction comprising a bottompanel having a cut therein defining a primary partition element formedwithin the contour of the bottom panel, such partition element beingfoldable out of the plane of the bottom to assume a position normalthereto, an extended portion hinged along an edge of the bottom whichextends substantially at right angles to the plane of the partitionelement, a secondary partition element carried by the outer edge of theextended portion and hinged thereto along a line substantially parallelto the hinge between the extended portion and the bottom panel, theextended portion and secondary partition element being formed with aslot aligned with the hinged between the primary partition element andbottom panel, said slot extending from a point somewhat spaced from thehinge between the extended portion and bottom panel across the hingebetween the secondary partition and extended portion, and terminatinginteriorly of said secondary partition, whereby, when the extendedportion is folded over to lie at upon the bottom panel and the secondarypartition element carried thereby is folded to assume approximately aright angular relation to the bottom and extended portion, parts of thesecondary partition element on each side of the slot formed therein willlie on opposite sides of the primary partition when in raised position,to retain the primary partition in upright position.

8. A paperboard tray and partition construction comprising a bottompanel having a cut therein defining a plurality of primary partitionelements formed within the contour of the bottom panel, such partitionelements being foldable out of the plane of the bottom panel to assume aposition normal thereto, an extended portion hinged along the entirelength of an edge of the bottom panel which extends substantially atright angles to the plane of the partition element, a secondarypartition element carried by, and extending the entire length of, theouter edge of the extended portion and hinged thereto along a linesubstantially parallel to the hinge between the extended portion and thebottom panel, the extended portion and secondary partition element beingformed with a plurality of slots, each aligned with a hinge between theprimary partition element and bottom panel, each slot extending from apoint somewhat spaced from the hinge between the extended portion andbottom panel across the hinge between the secondary partition andextended portion, and terminating interiorly of said sec-- ondarypartition, whereby, when the extended portion is folded over to lie flatupon the bottom panel and the secondary partition element tcarriedthereby is folded to assume approximately a right angular relation tothe bottom and extended portion, parts ofthe secondary partition elementon each side of the slots formed therein will lie on opposite sides ofthe primary partition when in raised position, to retain the primarypartition in upright position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,202,985 Fogg Oct. 31, 1916 5 1,534,006 La Bombard et al Apr. 14, 19252,723,796 Malmgren Nov. 15, 1955 OTHER REFERENCES The SomervillePackage, pages 4 to 7, vol. 8, No. 2. 10 (Received in Div. 40 March 3,1955.)

